Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Overland Park

Kansas

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,410 in Overland Park, KS. Overall, Overland Park, KS is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $103,838 in Overland Park, KS — about 12% higher in Overland Park, KS. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Kansas has a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Overland Park, KS

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$1,270
+6% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$1,224
+16% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$1,589
+11% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,828
+14% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$384,400
+25% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$103,838
+14% in Overland Park, KS
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$50,820
+11% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
38.6 yr
+4.1 yr in Overland Park, KS
Homeownership
44.4%
61.5%
+17.1 pp in Overland Park, KS
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
62.9%
+4.7 pp in Overland Park, KS
Avg Commute
24.0 min
19.9 min
+4.1 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
188.4
+60% in Austin, TX
Property Crime
3,290.7
1,790.5
+46% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
55.2°F
+12.0°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
40.0 in
+5.1 in in Overland Park, KS

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.85/gal
+8% in Overland Park, KS

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
15.7
+1% in Austin, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$25.12
+21% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Overland Park, KS
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Austin, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Overland Park, KS
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Overland Park, KS
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Overland Park, KS
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / KS)
6.25%
6.5%
+0.3 pp in KS
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.58%
+5.6 pp in KS

Austin vs Overland Park — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Overland Park?
Overland Park, KS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Overland Park?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $49,000 in Overland Park.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Overland Park?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Overland Park under Kansas's (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).